The phrase “The Jordan Rules” has become ingrained in NBA lore. From the book itself to the stories and controversy it brought to light, every ardent NBA fan has their interpretation of the Jordan Rules.
Despite the Bulls’ championship success, there were many dark secrets concealed beneath the surface. When the book was published in 1991, it revealed the truth about one of the greatest rising dynasties in league history, and it challenged the team’s development.
Sam Smith’s explosive book The Jordan Rules—which should not be confused with the physical play that Michael Jordan endured at the hands of the Detroit Pistons—covered the 1990–1991 Bulls to a degree that no other book has ever managed to match.
Led by the greatest player in the world, Michael Jordan, who was also becoming a worldwide icon, Chicago was the NBA community’s darling when they won the championship in 1991. However, the appreciation paused as a significant portion of the NBA community encountered 378 pages of unvarnished rawness about their hero, who was portrayed negatively as an uncoachable star and awful teammate.
Jordan said this about the book, “I think a lot of misconception was coming from that book. With all the different encounters that we supposedly had or I had with certain players, you never saw the recovery from those incidents. If Horace (Grant) and I get into an argument, hey, when we stepped on the basketball court, we were teammates. I passed him the ball; he passed me the ball, we smiled, we complemented each other.”
The Bulls’ success in 1991 was unaffected by the scrutiny, as they repeatedly overcame obstacles and reached the top. Jordan could have been broken by the unusual public attention during a period before social media, but he focused on what he could control on the court.
Jordan added, “We as a team have grown to just push the book aside and say, ‘Hey, we’re a team that was very successful last year. Turbulent season? No. If it was a turbulent season in terms of what we accomplished last year, please, let us have another one.’ I think we’re all united to the point where we will not let that book affect our relationships as basketball teammates.”
Without a doubt, it led to the formation of the greatest sports dynasty, and given the circumstances, it seemed improbable that the Bulls could ever reach such heights, much less remain there for nearly ten years.